The Caribes de Anzoátegui win the Venezuelan League title with an 8 – 7 win over Tigres de Aragua in the seventh game of the finals. Series MVP 1B Luis Jimenez and OF Cesar Suarez hit 1st-inning homers to give the Caribes the lead they will never relinquish, and C Josh Kroeger adds a three-run blast. Reliever Alex Herrera is the winner and José Cabrera gets the save.

ByTom

The Caribes de Anzoátegui win the Venezuelan League title with an 8 – 7 win over Tigres de Aragua in the seventh game of the finals. Series MVP 1B Luis Jimenez and OF Cesar Suarez hit 1st-inning homers to give the Caribes the lead they will never relinquish, and C Josh Kroeger adds a three-run blast. Reliever Alex Herrera is the winner and José Cabrera gets the save.

The Cubs sign two Cuban defectors who once played for the junior national team, OF Rubi Silva and C Yaniel Cabeza, both 21 and already veterans of the Serie Nacional.

ByTom

The Cubs sign two Cuban defectors who once played for the junior national team, OF Rubi Silva and C Yaniel Cabeza, both 21 and already veterans of the Serie Nacional.

The Twins plan to remove the 14 pine trees located behind the center field wall that were planted last season to be the batter’s eye at Target Field. The evergreens, which possibly will be relocated inside the newly opened ballpark, made it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball from the pitcher’s hand due to the movement of the conifers in the wind and the shadows cast during afternoon contests.

ByTom

The Twins plan to remove the 14 pine trees located behind the center field wall that were planted last season to be the batter’s eye at Target Field. The evergreens, which possibly will be relocated inside the newly opened ballpark, made it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball from the pitcher’s hand due to the movement of the conifers in the wind and the shadows cast during afternoon contests.

The Pirates repatriate western Pennsylvania native Joe Beimel and reunite him with his former manager, Clint Hurdle, when they sign him to a one-year contract.

ByTom

The Pirates repatriate western Pennsylvania native Joe Beimel and reunite him with his former manager, Clint Hurdle, when they sign him to a one-year contract.

Desperate for pitching, the Yankees sign veteran Bartolo Colon, who did not pitch in the majors last year, to a minor league contract. He will be given a chance to make the team out of spring training after playing well in the Dominican League this winter, and will prove a godsend when Phil Hughes goes down with an injury early in the season.

ByTom

Desperate for pitching, the Yankees sign veteran Bartolo Colon, who did not pitch in the majors last year, to a minor league contract. He will be given a chance to make the team out of spring training after playing well in the Dominican League this winter, and will prove a godsend when Phil Hughes goes down with an injury early in the season.

2011 – The Blue Jays continue to be active on the trade market, sending newly-acquired C-1B Mike Napoli, who has been with the team less than a week since being acquired from the Angels for OF Vernon Wells, to Texas in return for P Frank Francisco.

ByTom

2011 – The Blue Jays continue to be active on the trade market, sending newly-acquired C-1B Mike Napoli, who has been with the team less than a week since being acquired from the Angels for OF Vernon Wells, to Texas in return for P Frank Francisco.

In other moves, the Nationals agree to terms with reliever Todd Coffey, and the A’s sign 3B Adam LaRoche and acquire P Ethan Hollingsworth from Colorado for P Clayton Mortensen.

ByTom

In other moves, the Nationals agree to terms with reliever Todd Coffey, and the A’s sign 3B Adam LaRoche and acquire P Ethan Hollingsworth from Colorado for P Clayton Mortensen.

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame announces its 2011 class: former Toronto Blue Jays closer Tom Henke, 19th Century outfielder George Wood (who scored 100 runs three times) and Baseball America founder Allan Simpson.

ByTom

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame announces its 2011 class: former Toronto Blue Jays closer Tom Henke, 19th Century outfielder George Wood (who scored 100 runs three times) and Baseball America founder Allan Simpson.

The Tigers trade P Armando Galarraga, who lost a perfect game due to umpire Mike Joyce’s blown call on June 2nd, to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league Ps Ryan Robowski and Kevin Eichhorn. The D-Backs also sign P Micah Owings, who started his career with the team, and announce they plan to use him both as a long reliever and as a pinch-hitter if he makes the team out of spring training.

ByTom

The Tigers trade P Armando Galarraga, who lost a perfect game due to umpire Mike Joyce’s blown call on June 2nd, to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league Ps Ryan Robowski and Kevin Eichhorn. The D-Backs also sign P Micah Owings, who started his career with the team, and announce they plan to use him both as a long reliever and as a pinch-hitter if he makes the team out of spring training.

2011 – The 2010 Hoofdklasse awards are given out. Bryan Engelhardt is named MVP after leading the league in slugging, homers, RBI, steals, total bases and hits and Leon Boyd is the Pitcher of the Year. Australian Dushan Ruzic is honored as MVP of the 2010 Holland Series. Niels Harteveld wins the Roel de Mon Award and recent Rangers signee Nick Urbanus the Ron Fraser Award.

ByTom

2011 – The 2010 Hoofdklasse awards are given out. Bryan Engelhardt is named MVP after leading the league in slugging, homers, RBI, steals, total bases and hits and Leon Boyd is the Pitcher of the Year. Australian Dushan Ruzic is honored as MVP of the 2010 Holland Series. Niels Harteveld wins the Roel de Mon Award and recent Rangers signee Nick Urbanus the Ron Fraser Award.